2006-05-17 Akaka Fact Check

Back to Correcting Akaka

No speech given today

On Monday May 8, Senator Lamar Alexander gave a speech urging his colleagues to oppose the Akaka bill, citing the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report as a good reason for opposing it.

On Monday, May 8 Senator Akaka responded to Senator Alexander's speech.

Senator Akaka promised to give a speech every day the Senate is in session to explain why his bill should be passed.

I will be coming to the floor to talk about my bill every day until we begin debate on the bill. I will use every day to talk about what my bill does and does not do, and to respond to the outright mistruths that have been spread about the legislation. I will use every day to help share Hawai'i's history with my colleagues as the opponents to this legislation have taken it upon themselves to rewrite the tragedies of Hawaii's history in a manner that suits them for the purposes of opposing this legislation. - Senator Akaka, May 8, 2006

But today, May 17, 2006, although debate has not begun on S.147, Senator Akaka failed to give such a speech. There was plenty of time with quorum calls when nobody was using the Senate floor. Although Senators were very busy debating a very controversial comprehensive immigration reform act, and numerous amendments, there was also time at the end of the day when any Senator who wished to speak was invited to take the floor before adjournment.

For example, at the end of today's session, just prior to adjournment, Senator Saxby Chambliss (GA) took the floor to give a speech in praise of the career of Kirby Godsey, who is retiring after a long and distinguished career as President of Mercer University.

Perhaps Senator Akaka is out of ideas, or has finally been mollified by the promise of a cloture vote after the Memorial Day recess.

If Senator Akaka speaks on the issue again, we will provide more fact checking for the general public.